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Florida Panthers Name GM Tom Rowe Interim Head Coach

by
Staff
/ FloridaPanthers.com

SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations Dale Tallon announced today that Panthers General Manager Tom Rowe has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.

Rowe replaces Gerard Gallant, who was relieved of his duties yesterday.

Assistant coach Mike Kelly was also relieved of his duties.

Rowe previously served as the head coach of Florida's American Hockey League affiliates in Portland (2015-16) and San Antonio (2013-15) prior to joining the Panthers hockey operations staff. The native of Lynn, Mass., served as an assistant coach with the Carolina Hurricanes (2008-11) and won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes organization in 2006.

"In seeking to earn a second consecutive playoff berth and bring a Stanley Cup to South Florida, we believe that new leadership is required immediately," said Florida Panthers Chairman, Owner and Governor Vincent J. Viola.

"My focus is solely on turning our season around, fixing our special teams and securing a playoff berth," Rowe said.

In 2012-13, Rowe served head coach of Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the Kontinental Hockey League, earning a 34-18-0 record during his first season as a head coach overseas.

An NHL veteran of 357 games, Rowe began his professional coaching career in the Carolina organization serving as an assistant coach (2001-04) and head coach (2004-06) of the Lowell Lock Monsters (AHL) and head coach (2006-08) of the Albany River Rats (AHL).

"Today is a hard day. Gerard and Mike are good men and talented hockey coaches," said Tallon. "We thank them for their contributions in the community, for their work developing our young players and in helping to turn around the culture."